Fire destroys abandoned Southeast Fresno home

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- A fire destroyed one home and threatened two others in Southeast Fresno Saturday morning.

Crews arrived to find flames shooting out of the second-story windows of an abandoned house on Nevada Avenue and Second Street. The fire also burned down into the ground floor.

Firefighters checked for signs that transients could be inside, but they didn't find any. They also evacuated two families from a duplex next door and a third family from another home. Then they took a defensive approach to knock down the flames from the outside.

"There was no evidence that anyone was inside the structure, so fire personnel never made entry. There was no reason to risk our people's lives for property conservation," said Battalion Chief Thomas Cope of the Fresno Fire Department.

The home is a complete loss. The cause is under investigation, but fire officials say it may be very difficult to determine.